by law she was free in france. before agreeing to return to virginia to slavery, she set conditions. >> according to her descendents, she said, i will go back with you if any children we have are allowed to be freed at 21. jefferson must have been totally flummaxed by this strong-willed i think quite courageous woman. >> reporter: in september 1802, a richmond virginia newspaper outed jefferson saying, by this wench, sally, our president has had several children. after that, the jefferson-hemmings story was whispered from one generation to the next for nearly 200 years by descendents of sally hemmings. many of whom passed for white. >> it's been an interesting journey for me because it started out when i was a kid, me standing up in class and saying thomas jefferson is my great great great great great great grandfather and being so happy and proud to brag about it when you're studying the presidents. then when the teacher said sit down and stop telling lies and all the kids laugh at you. >> reporter: by the mid 199